1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dispenser package for flowable products and the like and, more specifically, to certain new and useful improvements in the configuration and structure of a dispenser package which contains and dispenses a quantity of flowable product normally called for in a single use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various attempts have heretofore been made to provide a dispenser package into which a flowable product may be packaged in the quantity normally required for a single use, and from which such flowable material may be dispensed. Two familiar examples of previous attempts to make such dispenser packages are: cuplike containers made of plastic or plastic coated material with covers made of plastic, foil or laminates of each, and envelope packages (pouches) made of relatively thin plastic or combinations of laminated plastics and sometimes foil.
The first type container mentioned above is most frequently used to package and dispense cream, jelly, salad dressing and products of similar viscosity. The cover is sealed to the rim of the container and covers the open top. In order to access the contents of this container, the container itself must be grasped firmly in one hand while the cover is removed with the other hand. Opposing forces must be applied to sever the cover from the rim, which often causes a variety of accidents. One typical problem is that the cover may tear and although the remaining cover can be removed, it usually results in getting some of the product on the user's fingers or, if left in place, hampers accessing the contents. Alternatively, the cover may suddenly tear away from the container rim causing the user to spill, splash or squirt the contents, often on himself or others. Since these containers must be lightweight to be economical, the vessel walls collapse under the pressure exerted upon them by the user. On moving vehicles such as aircraft, trains or automobiles, the chances of spill, splash or squirting are obviously compounded.
The other common type of package previously mentioned, the pouch made of relatively thin plastic, foil or laminates of each, suffers similar faults. These packages are most frequently encountered as containers for catsup, mustard, other condiments, homecare preparations such as hair conditioners, dyes and cremes, et al. In order to access the contents, the pouch must be held in one hand while a tearing motion and force are applied by the other hand. As with the plastic containers, creating the initial tear to break the envelope's seal is often very difficult. Moreover, once the initial tear is created, the laminated foil or plastic not only often tears in an uncontrolled fashion, but the holding pressure exerted by one of the user's hands often forces the contents out of the envelope not only before the user is ready to apply the contents, but even before the tearing motion is complete. Opening is generally so difficult that the pouch is often opened by biting the edge of the pouch.
Another disadvantage of the two types of dispenser packages just discussed is the fact that the user must in each instance use both hands to open the container.
Redmond's own U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,640 (hereinafter the 640 patent) discloses a dispenser package which represents a marked improvement over the foregoing prior package structures in that it accomplishes efficient dispensing of a predetermined quantity of the contents with a one-handed motion and without presenting the opening difficulties previously associated with opening by removal of a cover or tearing of an envelope or pouch. Briefly, in the 640 patent, the flowable product is contained within a pouch defined by a flexible sheet material and a sheet of relatively stiff material. The flexible sheet material and the sheet of relatively stiff material (or a combination of the relatively stiff material and an additional barrier layer adhered onto at least one side of the relatively stiff material) are each impervious to the flowable product. A predetermined fault line or cut pattern is scored into the sheet of relatively stiff material such that the stiff material will rupture on the fault line or cut pattern when stress is placed upon the sheet of stiff material. In the 640 patent, the relatively stiff material was scored with a variety of cut patterns to create at least one opening and a tongue, the simplest of which was a straight line cut across the center of the package. In use, the sheet of stiff material is bent into a "V" shape, rupturing the fault line or cut pattern which is located in the vertex of the angle formed by the sides of the "V". The enclosed pouch ruptures along the fault line or cut pattern. Rupturing the plastic at the cut pattern creates a predictably irregular edge with a number of peaks or tongues as well as at least one opening through which the flowable substance is forced upon compression of the flexible side by the relatively stiff sides of the "V" as they are brought together. Advantageously, both the bending and squeezing motions can be performed by the use of only one hand.
While the structure of the 640 patent has been and continues to be commercially successful, it has been found that it may be substantially improved for certain uses. For example, it is often required that the stiff side of the dispenser package be made of a very tough high barrier plastic material or, where the relatively stiff side is constructed of inexpensive, low barrier plastic, have other high barrier materials such as foil or saran, etc. laminated to at least one of its sides to prevent evaporation, leakage, loss of aroma, etc. from the flowable substance contained within. This lamination greatly enhances the barrier properties of the material.
In addition, there are common flowable substances which are corrosive or otherwise active against certain barrier materials, creating specialized packaging and containment requirements. These specialized requirements may simply mean using a thicker or tougher and more expensive material or may involve construction of special multilaminate barriers which are not affected by a particular chemically active flowable substance. By way of example only, iodine is one such flowable substance with specialized packaging requirements. Iodine must be kept in a well sealed container in order to preserve its shelf life, but iodine corrodes some of the most effective and available barrier materials, such as foil. Experimentation has shown that an appropriate barrier for iodine can be constructed by laminating foil to the relatively stiff and inexpensive material, polystyrene, and then coating or laminating a layer of saran to the foil. Although this construction creates a very good barrier, the resultant stiff side and barrier combination is very tough and consequently very difficult to rupture. When the structure of the 640 patent is constructed using such a specialized barrier, it has been found that the bending action often develops insufficient force to rupture the barrier material. Instead, what often happens is that the relatively stiff surface breaks as intended but the barrier layer(s) fails to rupture.
All of the above prior packaging alternatives suffer from a further deficiency in that upon opening, the contents are often dispensed in a generally non-directed stream of flow. The contents of the cuplike plastic containers are meant to be poured or scooped out. Upon squeezing of the envelope-type package, its contents are squeezed out in a direction and an amount which depends on whatever tear opening is created. This usually creates a sloppy oozing of the flowable substance out of the envelope. Finally, although the structure described in the 640 patent performs much better than the previously discussed alternatives in this respect, the flow through the various openings created in the relatively stiff side is not always specifically directed by the openings when the package is bent into a "V".
3. Objects of the Invention
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved dispenser package for flowable products.
Another object of this invention is to provide new and improved means for rupturing tough materials or combinations thereof upon their being bent into a "V" shape.
A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved dispenser package which improves prior dispenser packages in the containment of flowable products in that it is capable of rupturing one or more relatively strong layers of film or barrier material with the use of only one hand.
A still further object of this invention is to provide, in a new and improved dispenser package which improves prior dispenser packages in the containment of flowable products, means for both greatly increasing and concentrating the stress applied to the relatively stiff side to thereby ensure rupture of even relatively tough materials or laminates with a bending action developed by the use of only one hand.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved dispenser package for flowable products which expels the contents in a highly directed stream upon opening.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved dispenser package of sufficient structural integrity to contain flowable substances under pressure and yet which may be opened and the contents dispensed in a highly directed flow by the use of only one hand.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved package for flowable products which is also dripless after having been opened.
Objects and advantages of the invention are set forth PG,8 in part herein and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.
The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations, steps, and improvements herein shown and described.